The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-12

] tlols ara city com panieB pafautd {
! lew streets with banners aud bands
but ell the funclionsriee seemed hur,
ritd, bored or oppressed by the many
similar duties b. fore them. For the
King reached Florence an hour after.
wards, and at 3 O'Clock came to the
Museo Nszionale to open the Dona.
tello exhibition. his, indeed, is a
worthy tribute 10 the masters memo
ny. tbs collection Of the highest in.
terest, for excellent casts of his scat.
tered works, intending the noble
equestrian statue of Gsttamelata at
Padus, are now added to the numer.
GUS originals belor ginR TO Florence.
Friday. the feast of San Pancrszio,
was fixed for the historical fourteenth
century pageant Of the entry into
Florence OF Amadeus vi of Savoy, but
the triple conjunction OF unlucky day
and date and saint justified the fears
OF the superstitious, and no procession
was possible in thepitiless rain.
The great event OF Saturday was the
Ibis ORIG bell in the Pa ago VeCchio,
where, with certain privileged txcep,
tons, costumes Of the fourteenth and
tilte nth century were de rigueur. b,
fore IL o'clock pm. the vast hall of the
Cinqu5 Cento, lii by thousands
OF candles, was already nearly
filed by the parti Colored crowd, and
when shortly afterwaTd King Umbarto,
his beautiful Queen, the Prince Of
Naples, and all the court passed up
the hall to the dais at the luther end,
they were followed by a long train OF
mobiles and ladies Ia truly magnificent
COSTUMES. There WAS a marvellous
display Of precious stones. Countess
Talieyraud. Peigord aone seemed to
have rSnsaCkei Aladdin's case, and
real zed Ouids's widest dreams of
wealth. The Qneen was a dazzling
vision Of delicate blue and white, dia.
monds and pearls, and, liks all her
ladies', was in fourteenth century dress.
There was little or no dancing, every
one being content to wslk about and
look at everyone else. The great
feature OF the evening was a stately
defile before the throne to the music
of slow gazette. 1t was a fairy tale
pageant. Martial King and radiant
Queen, surrounded by their court,
smilingly acknowledge the homage OF
their subjects To hard worked soyer.
eigns like the beloved rulers OF Italy,
condemned to so many irksome duties,
boring speeches and firing ceremoni.
ais, the spectacle of this brilliant,
voiceless procession must have been q
real amusement. II was remarkable
to see the ease aud grace Of modern
Italians in the garb Ct their ancestors.
All wore 1t as to the manner born.
Many Of the costumes were copied
from ancient pictures, and il was
pleas ant to meet in the fie'h the well
known creations of Benz 2zo GoxSoli,
Masuccio, Cimsbue, etc.
In short, the great fancy ball YVES a
perfe city organised success, and no.
where, perhaps, cave in Florence,
could mixed public gathering OF
over 1000 guests have worn the air OF
a strictly private reception. To CO
scribe the dresses, the glorious tapes.
tries draping the walls of the gre at
hall and The historic splendor Ct the
other rooms would require volume,
and it is time to speak OF the Historic
procession OF the following day. Tnis
time all went well, the weather was
brilliant, ell the town mad with expec-
tation, and NJ o'clock the trum-
peters came forth from the Palszgo
Vecchio ard the magnificent Signory,
priors and notables took their places
on the square In the good old four
tenth cen ury style. 1t was real
revival of the middle ages. The grand
old Piazza, the stern macs Cf the Pa
lalS) VecChio, the flags Of the Rspub
lie waving frem the turret, the brown
Barge Ito tower, the ancient houses
hung with banners and ensigns, tapes
iries aud stuas, formed a noble 81 enc
for the play. The episode represent
ed by the pageant ia the visit
to Florence in 1867 of Amadeus VI |
Of Savoy, better known as the
Oounte Verde, and his state reception
by the Signory. He WAS a di,tln-
guish ed ancestor Of the present rel On
ing house, headed q successful expo.
dltiOn against the Tulks, and after re-
placing John Paleo ogus on the b, EAR
tine throne, returned to lay aud
halted in Florence on his way to greet
The Pope at Viterbo. The archives
have been ransGcked for details of his
VISIT, and for two mon hs past the
Z lden youth OF Florence been busily
to take part in the
All the old families OF
Florence are represented by, lineal
de- Cendants and all the cd guilds by
modern a sociations OF arts aud trades
IN the dress and with the banners of
the old companies. Even old music
and musical instruments have been
reproduced. When the
of the signori had sound.
ID an ancient charge, a band Of mail
clad laRcers took up their station in
i7ont Of the royal box under the Log
sia de Lanzi. Gonfalonier and Podes's.
with their suite, had already gone
10 Porto allie Oroce to meet the
count on the site Of the real gate by
which he entered Florence 700 years
ago, aud presently a strange fanfare
was heard and the procession entered
he piazza, passed Ammonato's foun-
ain, drove slowly round, and saluting
he sovsTeigns, paused before the mag
srates Of the republic and then drew
up opposite the Loggia. Thus there
was continuous sure I'M Of color, and
It ia i'm possiblP, writing in haste, to
describe the exact order OF the n arch.
O1e OF the most magn fceut figures
was the POdesta OF Florence, Count
with q mantle OF gold bro.
,ade owing down aud page on
either side Il his horse. What was
really reMA- kable was the skill with
which this monster procession
If 1900, all coun ei, horse and
loot, WAS maneuvered in and out Of
he piazza. There was neither hitch
lor con usion OF any kind, aud though
many of the horses were scared by the
wild strain Of the Turkish musicians,
Stationed in front OF the Ringhferi,
shey were speedily brought TO order.
Ali the mounted troops and trump
sters were represented by men Of the